Intuitive Kartenanwendungen für die Suche nach räumlicher Information

An Geoinformation interessierten Anwender*innen stehen heute vielfältige digitale Datenquellen zur Verfügung. Häufig werden Geodaten in Form interaktiver Karten oder innerhalb von Geoportalen bereitgestellt. Praktische Probleme bereitet hierbei allerdings oft das Auffinden einer gesuchten Information. Es stellt sich die Frage, welche Anforderungen sich für Anwendungen mit vielen thematischen Informationsebenen mit Blick auf die Informationssuche ergeben und welche konkreten Funktionen sich bereitstellen lassen, um die Suche zu erleichtern. Dieser Online-Workshop gibt den Teilnehmer*innen die Möglichkeit zum Ideenaustausch.This work has been partly funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the project NFDI4Earth (DFG project no. 460036893, https://www.nfdi4earth.de/) within the German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI, https://www.nfdi.de/)

Adult Palatum as a Novel Source of Neural Crest-Related Stem Cells

Somatic neural and neural crest stem cells are promising sources for cellular therapy of several neurodegenerative diseases. However, because of practical considerations such as inadequate accessibility of the source material, the application of neural crest stem cells is strictly limited. The secondary palate is a highly regenerative and heavily innervated tissue, which develops embryonically under direct contribution of neural crest cells. Here, we describe for the first time the presence of nestin-positive neural crest-related stem cells within Meissner corpuscles and Merkel cell-neurite complexes located in the hard palate of adult Wistar rats. After isolation, palatal neural crest-related stem cells (pNC-SCs) were cultivated in the presence of epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor under serum-free conditions, resulting in large amounts of neurospheres. We used immunocytochemical techniques and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to assess the expression profile of pNC-SCs. In addition to the expression of neural crest stem cell markers such as Nestin, Sox2, and p75, we detected the expression of Klf4, Oct4, and c-Myc. pNC-SCs differentiated efficiently into neuronal and glial cells. Finally, we investigated the potential expression of stemness markers within the human palate. We identified expression of stem cell markers nestin and CD133 and the transcription factors needed for reprogramming of somatic cells into pluripotent cells: Sox2, Oct4, Klf4, and c-Myc. These data show that cells isolated from palatal rugae form neurospheres, are highly plastic, and express neural crest stem cell markers. In addition, pNC-SCs may have the ability to differentiate into functional neurons and glial cells, serving as a starting point for therapeutic studies. Stem Cells 2009;27:1899–191

A role of NF-κB in neural stem cells and neurons

Zander C. A role of NF-κB in neural stem cells and neurons. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2011

Intuitive Kartenanwendungen für die Suche nach räumlicher Information

An Geoinformation interessierten Anwender*innen stehen heute vielfältige digitale Datenquellen zur Verfügung. Häufig werden Geodaten in Form interaktiver Karten oder innerhalb von Geoportalen bereitgestellt. Praktische Probleme bereitet hierbei allerdings oft das Auffinden einer gesuchten Information. Es stellt sich die Frage, welche Anforderungen sich für Anwendungen mit vielen thematischen Informationsebenen mit Blick auf die Informationssuche ergeben und welche konkreten Funktionen sich bereitstellen lassen, um die Suche zu erleichtern. Dieser Online-Workshop gibt den Teilnehmer*innen die Möglichkeit zum Ideenaustausch

Schwann Cells can be reprogrammed to multipotency by culture.

Widera D, Heimann P, Zander C, et al. Schwann Cells can be reprogrammed to multipotency by culture. STEM CELLS AND Development. 2011;20(12):2053-2064.Adult neural crest related-stem cells persist in adulthood, making them an ideal and easily accessible source of multipotent cells for potential clinical use. Recently, we reported the presence of neural crest-related stem cells within adult palatal ridges, thus raising the question of their localization in their endogenous niche. Using immunocytochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and correlative fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy, we identified myelinating Schwann cells within palatal ridges as a putative neural crest stem cell source. Palatal Schwann cells expressed nestin, p75(NTR), and S100. Correlative fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy revealed the exclusive nestin expression within myelinating Schwann cells. Palatal neural crest stem cells and nestin-positive Schwann cells isolated from adult sciatic nerves were able to grow under serum-free conditions as neurospheres in presence of FGF-2 and EGF. Spheres of palatal and sciatic origin showed overlapping expression pattern of neural crest stem cell and Schwann cell markers. Expression of the pluripotency factors Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, Oct4, the NF-κB subunits p65, p50, and the NF-κB-inhibitor IκB-β were up-regulated in conventionally cultivated sciatic nerve Schwann cells and in neurosphere cultures. Finally, neurospheres of palatal and sciatic origin were able to differentiate into ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal cell types emphasizing their multipotency. Taken together, we show that nestin-positive myelinating Schwann cells can be reprogrammed into multipotent adult neural crest stem cells under appropriate culture conditions

Efficient animal-serum free 3D cultivation method for adult human neural crest-derived stem cell therapeutics

Greiner J, Hauser S, Widera D, et al. Efficient animal-serum free 3D cultivation method for adult human neural crest-derived stem cell therapeutics. European Cells & Materials. 2011;22:403-419

Isolation of Novel Multipotent Neural Crest-Derived Stem Cells from Adult Human Inferior Turbinate

Hauser S, Widera D, Qunneis F, et al. Isolation of Novel Multipotent Neural Crest-Derived Stem Cells from Adult Human Inferior Turbinate. Stem Cells and Development. 2012;21(5):742-756

Untargeted urine metabolomics reveals a biosignature for muscle respiratory chain deficiencies

Mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterised by impaired mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system. Most often for mitochondrial disease, where no metabolic diagnostic biomarkers exist, a deficiency is diagnosed after analysing the respiratory chain enzymes (complexes I-IV) in affected tissues or by identifying one of an ever expanding number of DNA mutations. This presents a great challenge to identify cases to undergo the invasive diagnostic procedures required. An untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry metabolomics approach was used to search for a metabolic biosignature that can distinguish respiratory chain deficient (RCD) patients from clinical controls (CC). A cohort of 37 ethnically diverse cases was used. Sample preparation, liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods and data processing methods were standardised. Furthermore the developed methodology used reverse phase chromatography in conjunction with positive electrospray ionisation and hydrophilic interaction chromatography with negative electrospray ionisation. Urine samples of 37 patients representing two different experimental groups were analysed. The two experimental groups comprised of patients with confirmed RCDs and CC. After a variety of data mining steps and statistical analyses a list of 12 features were compiled with the ability to distinguish between patients with RCDs and CC. Although the features of the biosignature needs to be identified and the biosignature validated, this study demonstrates the value of untargeted metabolomics to identify a metabolic biosignature to possibly be applied in the selection criteria for RCDs.North-West University, Potchefstroom Campushttp://link.springer.com/journal/113062016-02-28hb201